Hardwood Floors & Crawling

“Does crawling on hard floors hurt my baby? Do I need to use padding or knee pads?”

Answer: Honestly, not in my experience! I truly find that our expectation of how it feels is way worse than how it actually is for them. Meaning we often think they are uncomfortable (because it probably would be for us!), but it usually isn’t!

The times that I HAVE seen families put knee pads on, it typically seems to hold the baby back a bit in that they are trying to figure out what it is and how to move with them. There are also LOTS of really delicate structures behind the knees that we want to be sure we are protecting, and when knee pads aren’t fitted correctly or are sliding around, they can press on/constrict those areas.

The only time I would say it would be worth considering to have them on a more padded surface and/or with long pants is if it appears they actually are uncomfortable and they’re avoiding putting knees down! All in all, though there are times they may be helpful, they’re not something I would regularly recommend or use, and they’re definitely not a necessity! Hope that helps!

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For developmental questions, tips and guidance related to milestones about tummy time, rolling & sitting, crawling and walking, check out KC’s developmental Masterclasses linked here.

KC is a pediatric doctor of physical therapy, wife and mom of three! She has spent her career working with children and young adults of all ability levels, and currently specializes in birth to three years.